Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Prayer Meeting Lesson Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/pm/pm19960508.htm

MARK: GOSPEL OF THE SERVICE OF CHRIST, GOD'S SERVANT
Part XII: A Sharp Admonition Regarding How We Respond To God's Word
(Mark 4:1-25)
  1. Introduction
    1. We are exposed to Scripture quite often as believers at Nepaug Church. We have Bibles in our own homes, and we receive Scripture input in Sunday school, worship services and home Bible studies.
    2. What we do with that exposure to Scripture becomes evident in our lives, and either embarrasses us as our carnality becomes evident to others (Rev. 3:17b, 18b) or honors us if we apply the Scriptures to which we are exposed to living (Jn. 14:21, 23). We thus need to know how to take advantage of our exposure to Scripture to escape the humiliation of carnality and be honored in Christ. Mark 4:1-25 tells us how:
  2. A Sharp Admonition Regarding How We Respond To God's Word, Mark 4:1-25.
    1. When Jesus ministered in Israel, such a large group of people was exposed to His great teachings that at one point He had to teach them in a boat out on the water, Mark 4:1.
    2. However, only a minority of the people there took full advantage of the teachings they heard so that it made a difference in their lives. To illustrate, Jesus shared the Parable of the Soils, Mark 4:2-20:
      1. Class One Hearers - Some hearers of Scripture are so godless and controlled by Satan that as soon as they are exposed to the truth, Satan causes them to forget it to their unproductive shame, 4:3-4, 15.
      2. Class Two Hearers - Others are not turned off to Scripture, but are concerned about not offending the world's expectations, so they fail to obey God as it means persecution to do so, Mk. 4:5-6, 16-17.
      3. Class Three Hearers - Others who are not turned off to Scripture, who even boldly desire to take a stand for the truth are yet in love with the world to be so preoccupied with its cares and possessions t hat they fail to heed it to their loss and humiliation, Mk. 4:7, 18-19.
      4. Class Four Hearers - Others are open to Scripture, and can willingly apply it in spite of persecution and the lure of this world's cares and lusts, but only to the degree that they produce 30 f old, Mark 4:8, 20.
      5. Class Five Hearers - Still others are open to Scripture, and will take stands and avoid the world's cares and lusts, but still to some degree fudge on taking stands and paying attention to the world so that their spirit ual production is 60 fold, Mk. 4:8,20.
      6. Class Six Hearers - Finally, some are totally committed to the Word so that they will receive it, take stands in spite of all persecution for heeding it and ignore the world's cares and lusts to apply it, and they produce 100 f old spirituality in their lives, Mk. 4:8,20.
    3. Following this illustration where only "Class Six" hearers take best advantage of their exposure to God's Word, Jesus gave an admonition regarding our exposure to Scripture, Mk. 4:21-25:
      1. Jesus illustrated that one who lights a candle does not do so to put it under a measuring bowl as is done at night, B.K.C., N.T., p. 120. The purpose is to use the light sometime, Mk. 4:21-23.
      2. Accordingly, how we apply our exposure to Scripture to life will unavoidably be made manifest in our lives either to the shame of our carnality or to the honor of our spirituality, Mk. 4:24-25:
        1. Jesus thus warned hearers to be careful how they utilized what they heard of the truth, Mk. 4:24a.
        2. This warning is based on the fact that the degree of application one makes of the Scripture he hears will determine the degree of more truth he can receive and thus be able to apply: (1) the measuring cup of attention one uses to dip into God's truths he hears determines the amount of truth he learns, Mk. 4:24 b; (2) thus, those who dip with bigger measures of attentive application will be provided that much more information to use to their resulting greater eventual maturity and honor; (3) yet, those who fail to pay attention and use what they know will see Satan remove what they know to their eventual carnality and resulting shame, Mark 4:24c with 4:15!
Lesson: What we do to heed and use what Scripture we are exposed to affects the degree of carnality or spiritual maturity will eventually show up in our lives either to our shame or to our honor.

Application: Thus, we should be motivated to pay attention to the Word and apply it in our lives above the pressures of Satan, the fears of persecution for doing the Word and the lure of the world to the contrary, and that to the greatest degree possible! Anything less is to our eventual shame, and doing so to the utmost is to our eventual blessing and honor! The choice is OURS, and ours ALONE!